Broadcast TV, Local Cable Ad Spend Up Double Digits

Broadcast TV advertising spending rocketed up by strong double-digit percentages in the second quarter. Standard Media Index says broadcast TV spending was up 16% in the second three months of 2013, and 10% through the first half of the year. By way of comparison, national cable TV advertising moved up more slowly in the second quarter, for a 6% gain.

Broadcast TV benefitted from big season-ending series finales and the high-rated NBA Finals on ABC during the period.
Through the first six months of the year, broadcast was up 5% and cable gained 4% in advertising spending. Total TV advertising spending grew 10% in the second quarter and 4% for the first six months of the year.

For the first half of the year, cable continued to have a slight edge in terms of media share, at a leading 25.5%. Digital media was next at 23.9%. Broadcast was at 22.3%.

Other TV platforms had a somewhat weaker performance: Syndication was flat in the second quarter and slightly down 1% through the first half of the year. Local spot TV spending climbed 9% in the second quarter and is 5% higher for the first six months of 2013.

Local cable did better than most other TV platforms — growing 12% in the second quarter, and 11% for the first half of the year. The bigger overall percentage gains during the second quarter came with digital media spending at 34%, with the first half of the year up 27%. Digital — which has a 23.9% media share of all advertising dollars — was at 20.8% for the same time period a year ago.

During the second quarter, magazines gained 18% in ad revenue versus the same period a year before; radio, 13%; out-of-home, 22%; and newspapers, 16%.

Looking at all media — TV, digital, print, outdoor, radio — spending climbed 16% for the second quarter of 2013 and for the first six months of the year was up 10%.

SMI aggregates data from media agencies’ billing systems, which total about 60% of all ad spending. Agencies include Vivaki, Mediabrands, Aegis Media and Havas Media. One major media agency group, GroupM, is not part of SMI’s research.

  Advertising, broadcast, Digital, Media, Outdoor, Print, Radio, Standard Media Index, TV, USA